About

Aaron Bloomfield is a professor who joined the Department of Computer Science at the University of Virginia in 2004. He earned his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Computer Science from SUNY Stony Brook, and his Ph.D. in Computer and Information Science from the University of Pennsylvania in 2003. His research focuses on computer science education, with a specialization in assessment systems and systems designed to expedite grading while increasing its efficacy. Bloomfield has a strong emphasis on teaching and has created the CS department's Service Learning Practicum, a two-semester capstone for CS majors. Throughout his career, he has received numerous teaching awards, including the Hartfield-Jefferson Teaching Prize, the Trigon Engineering Society's Hutchinson Award, and an All-University teaching award.

Research topics

• Computer science
• Human–computer interaction
• Artificial intelligence
• Simulation
• Psychology

Selected publications

• Implementation of a Cryptocurrency Elective Course

  2025-02-12

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  We present the design and implementation of a fourth-year undergraduate computer science elective course on cryptocurrency. The course introduces the basics of cryptocurrencies and blockchains using Bitcoin. Programming distributed applications for blockchains is explored using Ethereum via the Solidity programming language. Advanced theoretical concepts are discussed, using different cryptocurrencies to demonstrate how they are implemented in practice. Cryptocurrency applications are presented, along with a responsible examination of present-day cryptocurrency scams. The assignments build upon each other, with the students implementing a web-based blockchain application by the end of the semester. The course was well received, and student feedback was positive. All of the course materials are available online under public copyright licenses.

  PublisherDOI

• Organizing a High School Programming Contest

  2018-02-21

  article1st authorCorresponding

  This workshop will show participants how to host a successful programming competition aimed at high school students, and will also be broadly applicable to collegiate level competitions. These contests encourage high school students to major in computer science and can have a positive effect on the recruitment for the host institution. In addition, our anecdotal evidence has shown a high participation rate from under-represented groups at such contests. Running a successful contest, however, is a challenging endeavor. With potentially hundreds of people attending -- both students and coaches -- there are many logistical issues to address. Beyond that, generating an appropriate problem set and ensuring the contest submission system that runs smoothly are critical to a successful event. A poorly run contest can do more harm than good, as the participants will leave with a negative view of the contest, the institution, and possibly even the field. The workshop will cover problem generation and submission system usage, as well as provide discussions and handouts covering all the logistical aspects for hosting such a high school contest. Documentation covering all aspects of the contest will be provided to participants. The workshop organizers include a faculty advisor, a high school coach, and a former student who both participated in -- and later ran -- the contest. At least one organizer has been in every one of the roles in this type of contest. We have successfully run seven such contests, with the last four having 200 high school contestants.

  PublisherDOI

• Increasing Programming Contest Participation for Fun and Profit (Abstract Only)

  2016-02-17

  article1st authorCorresponding

  Programming contests have a number of pedagogical benefits: they reinforce many concepts and skills that students see in computer science courses, build cross-cutting skills such as teamwork, and can improve job prospects by better preparing students for technical job interviews.

  PublisherDOI

• A Programming Contest Strategy Guide

  2016-02-17 · 20 citations

  article1st authorCorresponding

  The ACM's International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC) is the world's oldest and largest programming contest. Although students can benefit both pedagogically and professionally from participating in this contest, participation in North America is far smaller than in the rest of the world, which we partially attribute to the perceived low payoff of participating in ICPC. We discuss the pedagogical benefits of participation in ICPC, which include higher student enthusiasm for computer science studies and better career prospects post-graduation, and present a set of cohesive strategies aimed at increasing involvement and success within the ICPC. For aspiring coaches and contestants, we also provide links and references for further study.

  PublisherDOI

• Measuring Memory and Metamemory

  2015-02-17 · 6 citations

  book-chapter

  This Handbook examines the interplay between metamemory and memory. Each contributor discusses cutting-edge theory and research that, in some way, showcases the symbiotic relationship between metamemory and memory. Together, these chapters support a central thesis, which is that a complete understanding of either metamemory or memory is not possible without understanding their mutual influence. The inspiration for this volume was the life and research of Thomas O. Nelson, whose pioneering and influential research in the fields of metamemory and memory consistently highlighted their integrated nature.

  PublisherDOI

• The effects of browse time on the Internet on students’ essay scores

  TechTrends · 2014-10-07 · 13 citations

  articleSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• A service learning practicum capstone

  2014-02-18 · 65 citations

  article1st authorCorresponding

  We present the design and execution of a Service Learning Practicum (SLP) course sequence intended to be year-long capstone for computer science seniors. Students are teamed into groups of six, and develop software for local nonprofit organizations. In addition to the structure of the course, we describe the challenges faced (legal, organizational, etc.), student perceptions via survey results, and provide a number of suggestions for other institutions who are looking to create a similar course sequence. At the end of the cap- stone experience, the customers are provided with working software that meet their current needs.

  PublisherDOI

• IBCM

  2011-03-09 · 2 citations

  article1st authorCorresponding

  We present the development and implementation of the Itty Bitty Computing Machine (IBCM), a machine language designed specifically to be taught to lower-level undergraduate students. The presentation of the material takes about one-week of lecture, and allows understanding of all the concepts of machine language without having to deal with the complexity of modern machine language implementations, such as x86 and MIPS. A number of pedagogical aspects are addressed concisely via IBCM, such as treating all data as untyped and performing arithmetic on instructions.

  PublisherDOI

• Evolution of a digital paper exam grading system

  2010-10-01 · 19 citations

  article1st authorCorresponding

  We describe the evolution of a system designed to allow digital grading, by a human, of traditional paper-based exams or homework assignments. We present a number of new features that build upon the system described in a paper previously published in ITiCSE 2008. In particular, our system now has the ability to monitor an enormous range of data, from individual question scores, to variances for the same questions across different graders, to question and exam statistics from one semester to the next. The system boasts a number of benefits over paper based grading. Overall grading time is reduced - small courses will see a modest improvement, while large courses can see their grading time cut in half due to the automation of many of the tasks: flipping to the correct page, summing up the pages, recording the grades, returning the exams, etc. Rapid grading of exams can also aid students in a better understanding of the material, as the exam questions are still fresh in their minds when the tests are returned. Simultaneous grading across multiple locations is possible, as there is no single paper copy to hand off to the next grader. Permanent digital records are kept of the exams, allowing for viewing of exams at a later date.

  PublisherDOI

• Measuring memory and metamemory: Theoretical and statistical problems with assessing learning (in general) and using gamma (in particular) to do so.

  2008-01-01 · 17 citations

  article

  This chapter addresses the interrelated problems of assessing learning in general and using γ (the Goodman-Kruskal γ correlation), in particular, to do so. We carry out our analysis in the context of the metamemory literature on judgments of learning

  Publisher

Frequent coauthors

• Norman I. Badler

  7 shared

• Borja Sotomayor

  4 shared

• Robert A. Bjork

  University of California, Los Angeles

  2 shared

• Barbara A. Spellman

  University of Virginia

  2 shared

• James F. Groves

  2 shared

• Margaret McManus

  1 shared

• Andrew Norton

  University of Virginia

  1 shared

• Kara Williams

  The Ohio State University

  1 shared

Education

• B.S., Computer Science

  SUNY Stony Brook

• M.S., Computer Science

  SUNY Stony Brook

• Ph.D., Computer and Information Science

  University of Pennsylvania

  2003

Awards & honors

• All-University Teaching Award (2016)
• International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC) Coach Aw…
• Raven Society Membership, a UVa honor society for service co…
• P.U.M.P.K.I.N. Society (a UVa secret society) commendation (…
• Hartfield-Jefferson Scholars Teaching Prize (2011)